Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I’m on a diet. One day I woke up and suddenly all my clothes felt snug. I bought two pairs of jeans to tide me over until I lost the weight, but one day I woke up and those felt snug. I was at a crossroads—I could go buy even larger jeans or lose the weight. I opted for the latter.

I’m not much of a follow-the-rules kind of person so the thought of adhering to a strict diet automatically raises my internal rebel. Tell me that I can’t have something and I’ll want it even more—that’s human nature. But after much research I learned that there was one diet I could follow—the South Beach diet.

I decided to go with South Beach because it seemed easier than the other diets—no counting calories, just eating as much as I want of the right kinds of food. And thankfully, the right kinds of food are things I love—fresh vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, eggs and nuts; forbidden during the first two weeks are sugar, fruits, breads, alcohol and fatty protein. I admit that it’s been difficult seeing the tail-end of the summer fruit at the market and not being able to indulge, but thankfully there are plenty of fresh vegetables to keep me and my stomach satisfied. And I’ve had some great support during these past few days with my blog buddies Kalyn, the guru of all things South Beach and Karina, the guru of all things gluten-free, both of whom are also doing South Beach right now.

One of the tenets of phase one is to eat a couple of snacks a day, with one of the acceptable snacks being beef jerky. I couldn’t remember the last time I had beef jerky and it’s not something I’d ordinarily buy but it appealed to me—that is until I looked at the label. All the packaged jerky had sugar in their list of ingredients and since this is not allowed on phase one, I realized that I’d have to make my own batch of beef jerky.

Do you know how easy it is to make beef jerky at home? No, seriously, it’s one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. Not to mention it’s very impressive. Casually mention that you’re making beef jerky and everyone’s eyes will get wide and they’ll say, “Really? Cool!” and then of course they’ll ask you for a piece.

Now, I say this after ruining my first batch and instead of making beef jerky making beef crackers (which actually aren’t all that bad, just not what I was expecting) so there is a bit of trial and error involved with the drying portion of the beef-jerky-making program. But even so, the flavor of the botched batch was spot on and the best beef jerky I’d ever tasted.

And that’s the main reason why you want to make you own beef jerky (or if you prefer, turkey, chicken or salmon jerky): flavor. You have complete control over how the jerky will taste; in my case, I was looking for something that was super spicy because that’s what I enjoy.

Starting with a basic marinade that’s made up of Worcestershire sauce, water, garlic, salt and pepper, you can layer it with other flavors, such as chile powder, cayenne, chipotle, Chinese five-spice powder, ginger, liquid smoke or whatever you desire.

I’ve already lost a couple of pounds, so here’s hoping I’ll be able to fit into my nice clothes in time for my brother’s wedding in a few weeks. Thankfully, I have homemade beef jerky to help me meet my weight-loss goal.

Method:
1. Slice the partially frozen beef into long strips about 1/8 of an inch thick.
2. Mix all the other ingredients together, except for the cayenne.
3. Place the beef in the marinade and let it sit, refrigerated, for at least six hours.
4. After the beef has marinated, wipe off the excess liquid and pieces of minced garlic and place on foil-lined sheets with no overlap. Sprinkle meat with cayenne pepper.
5. Cook in the oven at 175 for three hours and then turn over strips. Cook for another 2-3 hours. (depending on the heat of your oven—some are hotter than others). It’s ready when it’s dry and has the texture of leather but not so dry that it’s brittle and snaps.
Keeps in the refrigerator for three weeks.

boy - I'll have to try your method. Last summer I made my first and only batch of beef jerky, by following a recipe from wiki-how. The recipe said to use vinegar, which suffice to say, wasn't that great. My jerky ended up like little briquettes. The only plus side was that I was willing to eat them and no one asked for a piece. :)

Great way to use those super-lean cuts of beef that, when cooked, often have no flavor. You're adding lots of good flavors to the jerky, and the texture will give you something to chew on that will make your mouth feel satisfied. I'm saving this recipe!

I can't believe homemade beef jerky is this easy! I don't know what I thought it would involve, but I was imagining something way more complicated than this. Wish I would have known about this a year ago when I tired SB. I made it 2 weeks, then binged on bananas and a whole baguette!

My husband has been making beef jerky for about eight years now, ever since I took him to the Oak Ridge Smokehouse in Schulenburg, on our way to San Antonio. He couldn't figure out why I was making such a big deal about beef jerky, until he tried theirs.

The recipe he settled on is a bit different - it uses Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, Liquid Smoke, black pepper and crushed red pepper. I think he may use a touch of cayenne as well, but I'm not sure.

He started out making it in the oven, but before long he bought a dehydrator with six racks. Last Christmas I gave him an electric meat slicer, a mini version of the kind you see in a deli. It makes quick work of the slicing, especially since he usually makes a double batch!

He loves jerky so much that we are never without it in our house - lucky me! I like to have it with breakfast as well - a much healthier alternative to bacon or sausage.

Slim Jim is absolutely no comparison to homemade, Mike! None of the mass marketed store

I saw your reference to salmon jerky and thought about a product I see in many Canadian airport duty free shops. I am not sure of the producers name, but it is called "Indian Candy" which combines smoked salmon & maple syrup and is more jerkylike than smoked salmonish. I purchased some as a gift I was going to give a friend in DC, only to find I needed a late night snack in my hotel room . This "candy" was absolutely heavenly.

Oh you inspire me! I've canned salsa and now I can make beef jerky! Yeah for resourcefulness. Oh and I have made the vow to stay in the pairs of jeans I own. Journalism doesn't pay enough to have a huge wardrobe.

like fajitas, do you slice against the grain? or do you find it doesn't make a difference? next time you're in the san antonio area, there's a gas station on the south end of downtown boerne. they make their own jerky and dried sausage. the jerky comes in large chunks the size of a glue stick and encrusted in crushed black peppercorns. always worth the trip.

I LOVE beef jerky and the good stuff is so expensive. I stop at Chappel Hill on the way to Austin just for their jerky. Well, that and their jalapenio sausage dog on a homemade bun.

My sister and niece have been on a low carb diet all summer and have had great success. They said the hardest part has been no margaritas. When we go to Mexican restaurants they take a bag of pork skins to dip in the queso. That's just counter intuitive to me, but when I get back from Amsterdam next week I'll join you! Especially since I can make my own jerky!

I used to like jerky back in Texas, and then I bought the South African equivalent (biltong) in London. It can be quite spicy, but there is a rankness to it I didn't quite like. Now I'd not be so keen on anything that chewy as it gets stuck in my teeth.

I used your biscuit recipe today since chaosinthekitchen.com featured your recipe and I wanted you to know the recipe was a success!! Nice, puffy biscuits to go with scrambled eggs was the perfect Labor Day breakfast here in Houston. Thanks.

I love your blog - and your commenters too ! Your recent post about carnitas haunts me to no end . I've been tagged to tell 6 quirky things about myself - and would love to pass it on to you . Thanks for all of the deliciousness ! www.homeintheheights.blogspot.com

I was in Sonora last winter at a restaurant in Guymas and they deep fried this stuff. IN LARD! And gave it to me WITH THOSE GIANT SONORAN WHITE TORTILLAS!! I don't want to say it was the best meal I have ever had, but it was the best meal I have ever had in Sonora, and my mom lives there.

I missed reading your site over the last few weeks and am thoroughly depressed about Las Manitas. Where else can you walk through the kitchen on your way to the best seats in the house? Glad you are blogging again!

Changed a few things simply because I didn't have some ingredients on hand (nor could I find them in the shops). Aside from the minor alterations, it was such a treat, sooooo yummy - a refreshing find for a jerky lover far from texas! Thank you for posting the recipe. (...and all the others...I'm going through and will try several I'm sure!)

I've not even read the recipe yet but I'm delighted. The only 'diet' I want to be on is a low glyemic diet. I managed to do it for 10 days in a row late in 2004 but have yet to get back on it. Too much cooking/work for one who suffers from chronic fatigue. I wish I had some buddies like you do to help out. Thank you for your Blog.

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